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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27520717">A Warrior's Fight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/br00ke82cool94/pseuds/br00ke82cool94'>br00ke82cool94</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gap Filler, Politics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 05:21:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,067</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27520717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/br00ke82cool94/pseuds/br00ke82cool94</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In her quest to stabilize the Earth Kingdom, Kuvira sieges Kyoshi Island. Suki leads her community against the so-called Great Uniter.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baatar Jr./Kuvira (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Offer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1</strong>
</p><p>            “Governor,” a younger woman slid the door open, approaching the leader with caution. Unsure whether she was afraid of the situation or communicating it, she kept her voice steady to appear brave, “There’s an army at our shores, they said they wish to speak to you.”</p><p>            Suki rose from her desk, walking closer to the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and leaning against her table, “Did you and the other women ambush them?” She crossed her arms with confusion. Ever since the Fire Nation burned down their village in her youth, no other force managed to breach their shores. The Kyoshi Warriors maintained strong defenses, serving as the first line of protection against anyone who sought to weaken the island’s autonomy.</p><p>            She nodded, “They must have prepared for us, ma’am.” She shuffled closer, closing the door behind her so that she could express the gravity of the situation in confidence. “We ambushed men in these metal and green uniforms as they left their air ships. But their leader sent them for the ambush, it was like she knew we would do so, and as we finished tying them up, the leader came up behind us. She said she was with the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “The Earth Kingdom dissolved two years ago.”</p><p>            “That’s what we told her, some of the other warriors thought she might be delusional, but I suspected something more sinister,” Suki nodded along as the warrior walked her through the situation, “She claimed to be on mission to reunite the nation. Governor Suki, believe me, she has the army to try.”</p><p>            The woman pressed the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes in an attempt to remember if Fire Lord Zuko or President Raiko ever said anything of Earth reunification. Following the establishment of the United Republic, Suki and the other leaders on Kyoshi Island decided to pursue a more isolationist foreign policy in hopes to avoid the neocolonialism. The Earth Queen continued to treat her with disdain for her entire reign, but she still let Suki govern the island as she saw fit. As long as Kyoshi Island didn’t cause headaches for the monarch, Suki was their leader. The other world leaders often excluded her from major discussions. She tried to believe they did so out of respect for her isolationism, but she knew they never saw her as an equal. Suki lifted herself from the desk and grabbed the fans she kept on its corner. While she may be beyond her days of combat, she still refused to enter any situation unprepared. “I’ll speak with their leader. Walk me to where her, please.”</p><p>            The Kyoshi Leader led Suki, taking her outside to the beaches. A few men stood tied to a pole and looked to an imposing woman who kept her distance from them. Though they were her soldiers, she seemed to respect how the Kyoshi Warriors dealt with them once she confirmed their safety. The leader insisted she respected the local customs and laws. If trespassers were to be bound to the pole until Suki arrived to further deal with them, the commander would wait for the governor.</p><p>            Suki kept her fans sheathed at her hip. She stopped a few feet before the commander. The two women maintained a silence at first in anticipation for the other one to speak. As it grew uncomfortable, Suki pushed the discussion, “Who are you?” her confidence overpowered her anxiety, she stood tall against the other woman, “Explain what brings you and your army to our island.”</p><p>            “You can call me Kuvira,” She took a paced step closer to Suki, “I’m the Commander of the Earth Kingdom, and I’m told you are the Governor of Kyoshi Island. If you would, I think we should speak in private.”</p><p>            The Kyoshi Warrior at Suki’s side reached for a fan until Suki moved her hand to block her. The Kyoshi Warriors were strong, but this army presented an unknown force. They needed to act with restraint until Suki determined more of their intent. She turned to the leader and in a whisper advised her to divide the force, half to keep defense on the shores and another half to follow as her and Kuvira withdrew to her office. Receiving confirmation, Suki turned back toward the commander, “Yes, let’s.”</p><p>            Kuvira sat with a reluctance. Suki realized most of these meetings were held on the commander’s terrain. The woman incorporated her image into her strategy with the hope to weaken the confidence of those with which she dealt. This time, Kuvira broke the silence between the two women, “The former Earth Kingdom is in disarray, as I’m sure you know. Following the fall of the Earth Queen, President Raiko and Tenzin went to Zaofu to propose the reunification of the nation.” Suki took mental note that Kuvira seemed to not understand her political differences with Raiko and Tenzin, “For the past two years, I’ve traveled the nation to serve states and communities as they face economic and political instability. My force and I have brought a renewed prosperity and stability to the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “Tell me why you’re here.”</p><p>            “Yes,” she acknowledged, “Kyoshi Island does seem immune from the chaos plaguing the rest of the nation. However, as the nation prepares for the prince to take the throne in the next year, the Kingdom must be strong in the face of political change. I’m sure the prince will want to assert his dominance over states and their governors, and I doubt he’ll take to your isolationism and autonomy with the same kindness as the late queen. I was tasked to reunite the Earth Kingdom, and Kyoshi Island is a part of that. I’m here to establish that you and your island are still in the nation, and that the next monarch won’t feel compelled to enter into a political, or even military, standoff with you.”</p><p>            She shook her head with dismissal, “Kyoshi Island boasts a long history of distance with Ba Sing Se. I’m sure the next ruler will respect how autonomy is central to our culture and homage to Avatar Kyoshi. I feel as if we don’t need your confirmation of our nationality.”</p><p>            “I’m afraid I didn’t make myself clear,” Kuvira placed a treaty on the desk, sliding it for Suki’s review, “Your island boasts one of the strongest local economies, and I believe you bring in more fish and crop yields than what you need to sustain your community. You export almost nothing to the rest of the nation.” Suki read as Kuvira spoke, realizing that confirming their nationality meant participating in something larger, “I’m here to ensure that Kyoshi Island plays fair and contributes to the Earth Kingdom’s prosperity. If you seek reunification, I expect that you increase your exports and help contribute to our national security and economy.”</p><p>            “The Kyoshi Warriors are selective with their international commitments,” While Suki harbored no regrets for their involvement in the Hundred Years’ War, she decided that the Kyoshi Warriors must consider each assignment with care after finishing their duties as Fire Lord Zuko’s bodyguards. He later worked with Avatar Aang to subvert the autonomy for former Fire Nation colonies as they created the United Republic without regard for the local cultures. Suki burned with embarrassment that she led her warriors to serve such the fire lord. Since then, she made sure the island and warriors pursued noble fights. She crossed her arms as she spoke, “I know I speak for my entire community when I say we value our autonomy from the monarchy, and we hope to continue it. The Kyoshi Warriors aren’t mercenaries. We won’t support your imperial mission, and we’d rather secede than give into your demands.”</p><p>            Kuvira stood from her chair, leaning her hands onto the front of the desk so that she cast a shadow on the contract, “If you secede from the Earth Kingdom and try to become sovereign, then you will become an enemy of the state. Kyoshi Island has a duty to support the nation, and if you impede on that, then my forces will treat you and yours as we treat the rest of our enemies.”</p><p>            “I didn’t realize national unity came at the cost of ultimatums,” Suki interrupted, hoping to throw the commander off her arrogance. She recognized the spite in Kuvira’s eyes. The younger woman spoke with a determined greed similar to that of Azula. Suki stared as Kuvira leaned closer, letting her pursue an intimidation tactic to no success. While in prison, Suki learned how to deal with Azula, how to persevere under her and how to outwit her. No longer a prisoner but a governor, Suki stared at the same woman with metal instead of lightening. She felt no fear.</p><p>            “Don’t interrupt me,” she hissed, “I understand you take pride in your community, and I know Kyoshi Island holds a history of hostility to outsiders. I’ll return in the morning. Take the night to decide if you want to withdraw inward, or if you want to participate in the Earth Kingdom. I respect your judgement and understand that it takes some time to decide if you want to make an enemy of your entire nation.”</p><p>            She looked at the contract, then to Kuvira, astounded that Raiko and Tenzin would select such a woman to lead. Despite her disagreements with them, she still recognized Aang taught Tenzin to lead with peace. Kuvira didn’t appear to be a product of the United Republic; she acted in her own volition once given authority. She made eye contact with the commander, confident she posed no threat Suki hadn’t handled before, “Good night, Kuvira.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Call</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>2</strong>
</p><p>            She picked up the phone on her desk. The woman stared at its dial for what felt like a small eternity as she debated whether or not she should call Zuko. The two had their falling out years ago, and she knew both harbored sore feelings for the other. Still, there was friendship and respect in their history. She knew Zuko played no role in the dealings of the United Republic or Earth Kingdom, but he spoke with the other world leaders more than she did. He could offer insight on Kuvira that she needed to prepare the island for tomorrow. She winced at the first ring, wishing it was easier to speak to him.</p><p>            “Hello?” he picked up the line without much thought, unsure who would call him this late in the evening.</p><p>            She swallowed and gathered herself to speak to him, “Zuko, it’s Suki.”</p><p>            “I thought you never wanted to speak to me again.” They both remembered her choice words when he encouraged the former colonies to join a new state he created. She made things tense, but they met each other since then. Whenever Suki joined international discussions, she used to gravitate toward Sokka. After he passed, she started sitting next to Zuko. There was precedent for her to talk to him about international relations even after they split apart from each other.</p><p>            “Don’t be dramatic,” she shook her head while speaking, “I want to know what’s going on in Ba Sing Se, and I know you’ll have some perspective on it.”     </p><p>            “I’m afraid I don’t,” he tried to mask the fear in his voice, still unsure why Suki called him to ask such a seemingly random question, “A few metal bending troops stabilized the city a few years ago, and I think the force is now trying to reunite the Kingdom. Izumi told me a woman named Kuvira leads them, apparently she’s a guard from Zaofu.”</p><p>            “Yes, Kuvira, that’s who I’m calling about.”</p><p>            He rose from his chair, carrying the phone with him as he paced along the walls of his chambers. His daughter could speak better to the woman, she actually led the Fire Nation now, and Zuko slipped into retirement. He kept up with international affairs out of a need to feel included and useful. Zuko recognized Suki understood his role, so he knew she called for his insight and read on the situation, not just the facts, “Raiko and Tenzin apparently approached Suyin, Toph’s youngest, about stabilizing the country under Ba Sing Se first. She refused, and this Kuvira woman took it on her own to take control. She’s managed to bring about half the states under her interim rule before Prince Wu takes the throne, but there are reports that she’s uniting them by force.”</p><p>            “She reminded me of your sister.”</p><p>            Things were about to get bad on Kyoshi Island. “That doesn’t surprise me,” he instead said, trying not to cast doubt on Suki’s ability to govern, “A few whistleblowers have made their way to the Fire Nation, I can ask Izumi for more information, but I get the sense she’s stealing resources from each state in exchange for defense. I know you don’t need her army’s defense, so I have no idea how she’s trying to negotiate with you.”</p><p>            She picked up the contract to remind herself of the wording as she relayed the information, “She’s demanding that we quadruple our exports and give her half of the Kyoshi Warriors to serve in her army. If I don’t agree, Kyoshi Island will be removed from the Earth Kingdom and treated like a belligerent nation.”</p><p>            “Being an island helps.”</p><p>            “Excuse me?” She failed to imagine any situation where this was good by any comparison.</p><p>            “The whistleblowers say she has reeducation camps for dissenters,” he tried to remember what Izumi told him last about the situation, “Since you’re not physically connected to the Earth Kingdom and don’t need anything from her, I’m sure she figured war was a more doable threat than internment.”</p><p>            “She can still take prisoners of war if she takes that direction.” Things felt worse as she got more information, but she knew she needed the full picture to prepare the community, “You said she’s a metal bender. How is she as a fighter?”</p><p>            “Unrelenting,” He remembered watching the Zaofu guards fight the Red Lotus. While he didn’t know Kuvira at the time, if she led them then, he knew she presented a formidable force in whatever she did. “The army isn’t all metal benders, but they have electrified mecha suits for their non-benders. I get the sense she’s just as smart a commander as she is strong. Suki, I don’t know of any states that have successfully pushed back against her.”</p><p>            “What’s the longest fight you’ve heard of?”</p><p>            “Omashu lasted three weeks, maybe.”</p><p>            She jotted down notes as she spoke, ready to relay this information to the young Kyoshi Warriors. She knew they were capable and could protect the community. However, Kuvira could bend their fans and they couldn’t chi block a mecha suit. This fight begged their creativity.</p><p>            “Suki, I’m worried about Kyoshi Island. I didn’t know Kuvira had made her way that far south.” He stopped pacing and hoped his voice stayed still. The two had a small relationship now, but he still respected Suki. He didn’t want to sound like he doubted her, but Kyoshi Island valued its history, and Kuvira’s army leapt ahead without regard for tradition. Reverence to an avatar born almost 500 years ago slowed her community down, and he didn’t know if Suki’s wit alone could overpower a modern army. He sighed, knowing she would resent him, but knowing he couldn’t idle as she fought, “I can talk to Izumi and see how fast we can get reinforcements to the island. You know I’m forever indebted to the Kyoshi Warriors, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you in this fight.”</p><p>            “You know how I feel about your interference in autonomous communities.”</p><p>            “I’m trying to help, Suki.”</p><p>            “And I don’t want any debt to the Fire Nation or to you,” She spoke faster than he could interrupt her. She knew Zuko worked with his best intentions, but he struggled to think to the long-term. His help always found a way to hurt, “Thank you for the information, Fire Lord Zuko. I need to speak with the Kyoshi Warriors before it gets too late.” She hung up the phone, disconnecting their conversation before Zuko could continue.</p><p>            Suki left her office, taking her notes and fan with her as she exited. Though Kuvira said she would give her until the morning to make her decision, Suki doubted whether or not the commander would stay true to her word. She moved with determination to the studio where she knew the warriors should be practicing. However, she suspected after the events of the day, they would be discussing among themselves what could happen the next day. She entered the studio to see Miyuki, the leader, failing to bring the rest of the warriors to something resembling an ordered practice. The women clustered throughout the room while she raised her voice, everyone trying to piece together what the others saw when the airships arrived that afternoon.</p><p>            Suki placed her hand on Miyuki’s shoulder, giving her permission to take a break. “Ladies,” Suki spoke, bringing the room a new focus as the warriors turned to listen to their governor, “Kuvira and the army at our shores come from the Earth Kingdom. She’s on a quest to reunite the country and lift it out of the chaos.”</p><p>            “But, Kyoshi Island is fine, we don’t need her to lift us out of anything,” one warrior contributed.</p><p>            “I know, she doesn’t want to help us. She wants us to do our duty to the Earth Kingdom, which in her mind, means surrendering our fish and crops and taking half of you into her army. Tomorrow morning, I will refuse the contract she gave me, I would rather Kyoshi Island declare its independence than become a mercenary state for Kuvira. Effective then, Kuvira will declare us enemies of the state, warriors of a belligerent nation.” The room grew cold as she spoke. Each woman seemed to support her decision, but they still feared the oncoming battle. Suki unsheathed her fan and held it up for demonstration, “Kuvira commands an army of metal benders and mecha suits,” she let the fan drop to the floor, sending a ringing clank as it hit, “We need to prepare to fight with different weapons tonight if we want to hold our own and push them off our shores.”</p><p>            The women looked around the room, surrounded by fans and katanas. They relied on metal weaponry, and now had to retrain themselves in one night to fight so that metal benders could not take advantage of them. Suki continued, counting how many women were in the room, then issuing assignments, “Miyuki will identify the strongest chi blockers among you all. You will fight the metal benders, and once you block their bending, I have all the confidence you can defeat them hand-to-hand. Next, I’ll need the majority of you assigned to fight the mecha suits. Train with ropes tonight and anything else you think you can find to force their own weight down. I’ll also need five of you to work through the night. Our weapons are metal, so we’ll need new supplies. Use our wood, fish bones, anything. We’ll need whatever you can make.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Invasion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>3</strong>
</p><p>         Kuvira left her room in the airship and walked out to the kitchenette area. Everyone on the airship relied on a chef and ate in the mess hall. This room existed to store teas and small snacks. Knowing she had a long day ahead of her, she rose just before the sun to make herself a cup of tea. However, she found Baatar hovered over the counter and two mugs before she could reach the kettle. He turned as he heard her sigh and reached one of the cups toward her, “Good morning, Kuvira,” he gave her a soft smile, “I know Suki sounds tough, but I have no doubt you’ll crush her resistance before sundown.”</p><p>         She took a sip of tea while she tried to process what he said. Maybe she was in the limbo between asleep and awake, but she had no memory of telling Baatar she met with Suki, just the governor last night. “We didn’t talk much about my meeting,” She trailed, trying to figure out he knew what happened, “Have you met Governor Suki before? I know Kyoshi Island’s politics, but it’s not like her name is thrown around much.”</p><p>         “She came with Sokka a few times when he would visit father’s workspace,” the memory felt like a lifetime ago. Baatar felt like a different person compared to who he was when we worked under his father, let alone to when he was just a child by his side.</p><p>         That gave her no new information. There wasn’t much time to reflect on childhood memories before entering combat with the Kyoshi Warriors.  “She won’t sign the treaty,” she lowered her cup, giving herself more space to speak, “They don’t need our protection, and I got the impression there’s minimal patriotism for the Earth Kingdom here.</p><p>         “That’s why you’ll exile them,” he walked her through her own strategy, knowing she knew it through and through, but hoping to boost her confidence as she gathered herself in the morning, “Your plan is brilliant. They may not need our army, but they need to know why they shouldn’t make an enemy of us. You alone could defeat the Kyoshi Warriors, they rely on metal weapons, and they’ll surrender today. I’m not worried about some island stuck in the past.”</p><p>         Kuvira smiled, amused by his optimism. She lacked the words to explain it, but she felt a sense of dread that today would present new challenges. Kuvira sought to achieve balance in the world by reuniting the Earth Kingdom, something Avatar Kyoshi would support were her island to actually embody her. However, it seemed like they valued their independence more than helping their nation. She prepared herself for a fight, ready to earn Suki’s surrender.</p><p>         Baatar reached across the space in between them, resting his hand on her elbow, “Kuvira, you’re nervous because this is a new challenge. You’ll defeat it.”</p><p>         She lifted her arm out of his gesture and walked to the other side of the room, trying to think through what could go wrong. She didn’t know why she felt an anxiety toward the Kyoshi Warriors that she didn’t feel for any other antagonist. “I appreciate your confidence,” she realized she needed to reciprocate some of his feelings, even if she wasn’t in the mood for his touch, “Do we have any maps of the area? I want us to have a few troops in reserve to enter through another route later in the day.”</p><p>         His face fell, realizing that Kuvira channeled all of her focus into her goal. He knew this, of course. He fell in love with her determination. Still, he wished she would look to him with a little more softness. He nodded, then left to grab the maps of Kyoshi Island from the traveling library. They managed to collect it along with other maps of states and provinces across the Kingdom from the university in Ba Sing Se. He struggled to understand what a map could show that their aerial view lacked, but he complied with her request.</p><p> </p><p>         Kuvira walked down the steps of the airship, descending onto the shore as Governor Suki stood tall. The woman seemed to be alone, even though she gave an indication that she would refuse to sign the treaty. Almost touching her toes, Kuvira approached Suki with the intent to intimidate her. Though an elderly woman now, the commander recognized that Suki lived a life of courage and most likely thought Kuvira no different from any other challenge. This was the first time since Ba Sing Se Kuvira felt she had to prove herself.</p><p>         Neither of the women wanted to make the first move. As Suki stood unwavering, Kuvira realized that they could spend the day on the beach—no treaty, no fight, and no surrender—unless she decided to break their silence. “Have you reconsidered my offer, Governor?” she spoke with firmness, readying herself to call upon her army as soon as Suki gave even the slightest shake of her head.</p><p>         “Don’t ask questions you know the answers to, Kuvira,” Suki took a step back, not letting the other woman into her space, “We both know you’re not the diplomat you try to say you are.”</p><p>            With a smirk, Kuvira clenched a fist, “Tell me if I guessed wrong, then.” She flexed her arms from her body, sending metal slabs off her uniform as they sharpened. She threw her arm downward, aimed at Suki’s wrists and latched metal restraints across them. Pivoting to face her arm with her arm held high like a champion before the fight, Kuvira yelled toward the soldiers, “Take the governor, and then take the island!” A metal bender pulled on Suki’s restraints, sending her to the ground and dragging her to the airship just as the Kyoshi Warriors seemed to appear out of nowhere.</p><p>            Armed with swords made of bone, the women stormed the sides of the army, infiltrating their ranks and stopping soldiers from advancing. A sword cannot make a dent in metal armor. However, the women seemed to work in rotating pairs. One would present a challenge to a soldier, commanding his total focus and energy. Then, the other would turn around to yank their helmet away. Now afraid of a sword to their head, the soldiers resorted to fighting with the metal from their uniforms. A warrior could now deflect incoming metal attacks while attempting to puncture the soldier in between dodges. Kuvira, realizing the fight the Kyoshi Warriors could give her men, identified the source for her dread from the morning. There was blood on the ground. Before she could run to join their fight, more women appeared. They seemed to come from above, leaping from the rooftops they hid on while the battle began. None of them donned a weapon.</p><p>            Kuvira threw her arm down, unsheathing a metal sword connected to her armor, and lunged into the group of women. As they dispersed to avoid the attack, she felt the ground beneath her tremble with others storming from behind. She turned on her heel to attack them, but soon realized the Kyoshi Warriors surrounded her. She turned her free hand, separating the ground she stood on from the ring of warriors. Raising the ground beneath her feet, and rotating the ring, she watched the first set of chi blockers fall onto each other as she established high ground. She forced herself to look away from the women and tried to get a sense of who fought near her. As the woman started to pick themselves back up, Kuvira faced the decision to skewer them or find a way to bind them and send them to an airship. The army needed conscripts. However, there was no one unoccupied to imprison the women.</p><p>            She raised her arm to bring it down in a slashing motion around the ring.</p><p>            Teams of chi blockers swarmed the area. Budgeting a few punches for each metal bender, the women worked with an unparalleled speed. Soldiers fell, creating a beach of green uniforms. As the chi blockers seemed to gain ground on the army, Baatar left his commanding position. He already called for the mecha suits to descend upon the battlefield. However, the privates lacked the urgency to act fast when he first ordered. Now, Baatar donned his own mecha suit to join the fight.</p><p>            Kuvira leapt from her perched position. Wielding her sword, she threw incoming warriors off her path. However, as they continued to pursue her, she relaxed the sword, letting it morph into a whip. Now, with a broader range of motion, she managed to latch her whip around groups of storming warriors. Tying them together, she pulled inward, throwing them to the ground, then to the sky, watching to make sure they flew over the very roofs they ambushed her from.</p><p> </p><p>            The fighting went through the night. Both the Earth Kingdom Army and Kyoshi Warriors racked up a death toll. However, neither side surrendered. Upon sundown, Kuvira left the battlefield. Reinforcement troops entered to continue the fight. She waited for Baatar to make his way out of the mecha suit before the two of them visited the cells for prisoners of war in the airship. Deciding not to comment on his misguided predictions from the morning, Kuvira bore a stoic face as she opened the door for her and her second-in-command to visit the governor.</p><p>            “I’ve gotten reports that fourteen of your warriors died in combat today, Governor Suki,” she held her hands behind her back, standing tall above an aged woman sitting behind bars, “That’s not to say how many sustained injuries. You can put an end to this. Your people don’t have to die at war, and the longer you refuse to sign my treaty, the more you’re to blame for the destruction of the island.”</p><p>            Suki rested her back against the cell wall. She kept her eyes on her shoes, avoiding all connection with the invader. For a brief moment, she felt thankful for the bars that prevented Kuvira from coming any closer to her. She knew if provoked, Suki would give whatever energy she could muster to fight the woman, even though she needed to save what she had. “You could also tell your soldiers to stand down. If you really want peace, then realize you’re the only aggressor.”</p><p>            “You have no authority to tell me how to lead,” from Baatar’s perspective, Kuvira grew tense at Suki’s accusation. She took her words more personally than he’d seen her do from any other local leader. He didn’t know what made this situation different. “You’re a washed-up leader who failed to keep alliances and contribute to the nation. If you want to fail those who trust you, too, then let them die tonight. Call for the attending guard if you change your mind,” Kuvira ungripped her hands, pushing one out toward Suki and sending the bars of her cell closer to her wall. Hoping to leave her in discomfort, Kuvira turned and left the room with Baatar on her heels.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>4</strong>
</p><p>She rubbed her eyes, tired from poring over charts and sketches over how to shift their troops for the battle. The Kyoshi Warriors managed to put forward a stronger fight than Kuvira ever expected. Nearing the end of a week of combat, she sat down to reassess their strategy. She managed to reconfigure the troop assignments so that they always had an occupying force on the land they gained, in addition to a fleet of metal benders and another of mecha suits. When off shift, she allotted for each soldier to achieve sufficient rest as well as sit for strategy talks. She needed everyone to be flexible, ready to pursue a new strategy if it meant their success.</p><p>            “Baatar,” She kept her eyes fixated on a map of the island. Their army managed to take up to the statue of Kyoshi. They claimed a beach. Suki still held the rest of the community from her prison cell. This little land looked like an embarrassment the more she forced herself to reevaluate how they could exert more strength, “Do you think we could bring civilians into the fight? Do you think it would finish this faster?”</p><p>            He widened his eyes as he understood what she asked. They never fought innocents. While he felt justified using violence against bandits and local security forces in obstinate states, he lacked the confidence to give her a wholehearted yes. This was so much more preemptive than any other measure they took leading up to now. “Are you asking if we have the capability to do so, or if I think we should?”</p><p>            “Will it help us conquer the island?”</p><p>            What seemed like a floating idea a few seconds ago now became a decision the two needed to flesh out into a plan. He moved his seat closer to hers to look at the same documents, “We could take a hostage. If we located someone close to Suki, it’s possible she would give sooner, but I’m doubtful. She’s put up a show of resilience in the prison, and I think she believes everyone here would rather be independent than remain in the Earth Kingdom. We could also start widespread attacks. There’s nothing stopping us from taking the skies and starting a strategic bombing campaign.”</p><p>            She started sketching X’s on the buildings lining one of the more detailed maps, trying to visualize the casualties from a strategic bombing campaign. If she pursued too ruthless a strategy, then she risked losing credibility as a unifying leader.</p><p>            As she worked, Baatar placed his hand over hers, stopping her writing, “We wouldn’t annihilate the city. Ideally, we wouldn’t cause any civilian deaths.” He slid the pencil out of her fingers and started drawing his strategy over hers, “We could start with the path from the ocean and their markets, preventing them from fishing anymore. Or, we could bomb their rice silos and take out their food reserves. If we want something more symbolic, we could also aim for the Kyoshi Warriors’ practice studio, demolish it, and show that they don’t control the terrain.”</p><p>            “What could you drop from the airships?”</p><p>            “We have artillery shells. They explode on ground contact, and most are at least four feet tall. We could do some damage if you made the call.”</p><p>            Kuvira leaned back in her seat, putting distance between herself and the maps burned into the back of her mind. She turned to face Baatar, who looked uneasy at the thought of folding civilians into their battle strategy. He was never a fighter before she convinced him to join her in Ba Sing Se. While he made for a strong second-in-command, there were days when she saw the boy she grew up with behind his eyes. She let her hand return to his, trying to comfort him, “I won’t do anything more than necessary, Baatar, this is all for the greater good of the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “I know,” he looked to her, finding peace in her assuredness. He trusted her judgment; Kuvira acted with such devotion for their nation, and while some of her means were questionable, he was learning to accept them for the end goal, “I know we need Kyoshi Island in our country, I think I’m still just surprised at how much of a fight they’re giving us.”</p><p>            “Let’s table the strategic bombing,” She wanted to revisit the possibility, but knew it was too much for Baatar at the moment, “Tell me about the possibility of taking a hostage.”</p><p>            He relaxed at her suggestion. The thought of capturing one person felt more justifiable than depleting resources or jeopardizing innocent people to astray artillery shells. Recomposing himself, he started to explain: “We could pursue two different scenarios. If we could ambush the Kyoshi Warriors, we could take Miyuki, their leader, hostage, and hold her prisoner here. Doing so would hopefully destabilize their strategy, but the women seem capable of working even without her command. I’ve visited Suki’s cell a bit, and she’s mentioned a companion. You would recognize him, I think, he’s the man who looked like he was foaming at the mouth when you first walked on the shores.”</p><p>            She raised an eyebrow, trying to follow where Baatar went with his idea, “Companion, like a colleague? I was under the impression Suki lead rather unilaterally.”</p><p>            Shaking his head, Baatar clarified, “Companion like they’re both elderly and want a partner to spend their time with, but with respect for their late lovers. She hasn’t said much, but I’m pretty sure that after her and Sokka split, she reconnected with Lee, the man with the foaming mouth, and there are some feelings between them, but more like they enjoy each other’s company.”</p><p>            “And you think we should take the governor’s ninety-year-old boyfriend with a foaming mouth hostage? For what? I don’t think he poses any threat to us.”</p><p>            He let out a small chuckle, “When you phrase it that way, it’s a terrible idea. I’m not worried about him, though. We need to break her spirit, or else she’ll continue to refuse to sign the treaty. If we can threaten her closer to her heart, I think we can override her pragmatism.”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Hostage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>5</strong>
</p><p>            A guard pushed the metal bars aside, waking Suki up with the clanking noises as he opened her cell. The guards only let her out a few times a day to go to the bathroom down the hallway with their supervision. A new soldier hovered over her this time. She noticed his arm boasted a different insignia than the uniforms worn by the soldiers who faced away as she relieved herself. Kuvira sent a higher-ranking man to escort her from the cell today. As she rose from the ground, the soldier clamped metal restraints around her wrists. This time they were of thicker metal. When the bender latched onto them to lead her out of the jail area, she noticed this set gave him a stronger grip on her. Though she walked in step with the soldier, it felt clear he held control over where she went.</p><p>            They reached the exit of the airship, stopping in place to let the door descend into a walkway. For the army to let her outside, she knew something must have changed on the battlefield. While she hoped the army stood down and returned her to lead the island, she knew that was wishful thinking. Suki looked to the guard next to her, trying to read his stoic face—his refusal to look at her gave her a hope that he felt ashamed of the army’s hypothetical poor performance. However, it could also be an arrogance, an idea that he stood higher than her, and a hint that she was about to witness a beleaguered Kyoshi Island.</p><p>            “Kuvira is going to ask you to reconsider the treaty when we step onto the beach,” The man spoke with little inflection, giving her only his words to guess what she could walk into, “From my understanding, you should take her offer. She’s a woman of her word.”</p><p>            Suki took his words in without giving him the satisfaction of a reaction. She heard the metal hit the sand and started walking at the tug of her restraints. With the confidence that the Kyoshi Warriors fought with unbridled courage, she convinced herself that Kuvira was still unable to break their fight. This had to be something else. Her eyesight was weak with age, obscuring the scene ahead of her until her feet left the airship’s walkway. At first, she only saw Kuvira and Baatar Jr. They stood at a distance from each other. Baatar Jr. looked different from the child she met in his father’s workspace. Taller now, he looked like he believed himself strong. Still, she recognized him by the look in his eyes. Just as he looked toward his father all those years ago with admiration and loyalty, it seemed he turned his gaze to the imperialist at his side. Suki finished her evaluation of the two and looked downward, finding Lee gagged at the mouth and on his knees. She only just noticed the metal sword at Kuvira’s wrist hovered over his neck. A fearful foam seeped through the rope he bit down on.</p><p>            “What are you doing with him?” She threw her words like daggers toward Kuvira, “He hasn’t fought you, he’s innocent. Why are you bringing Lee into this?”</p><p>            With a smirk, she started, “I understand your commitment to the people on this island, Governor Suki. You’ve held out a week in prison because you think a sovereign state would do them well. I admire your resilience,” She made the deliberate choice to build-up to the answer, hoping to elicit more emotions from Suki. The longer she could keep her in fear of losing her companion, the more of an advantage Kuvira could pick up, “I’m told you’ve always been a warrior, which doesn’t surprise me. It’s no wonder you let the Kyoshi Warriors fight to their exhaustion for your ideals. That being said, it looks like you neglect the civilians. The longer you draw out this battle, the more likely they are to get hurt.”</p><p>            “Tell me why you took Lee from his home.”</p><p>            “Yes,” Kuvira seethed, “It seems like we’ve drawn out this battle so long. I’m afraid that in prison, you’ve forgotten how to protect the people. I’ve graciously offered you a treaty to keep the community in the good graces of the Earth Kingdom, and you seem too prideful to govern in the best interests of everyone else. As it would happen, if you don’t sign the treaty, then I’ll demonstrate what will happen to the rest of the community on Lee.”</p><p>            Her face hardened as she tried to avoid looking at the man. She could hear his fearful whimpers. Kuvira took a man full of excitement and joy, one of the few people left of Suki’s youth that she talked to without any bitterness. He wasn’t ever supposed to fall into this conflict. Suki followed the tip of the blade up to Kuvira’s determined face. She was a woman of her word. The commander stood unwavering, making sure not to move the blade any closer to Lee’s neck until Suki came to her decision. They stood at odds with each other, both aware that Kuvira managed to place Suki in an unwinnable position. Unable to look at Lee, Suki locked eyes with Kuvira, almost spitting as she spoke, “You’re a coward.” With an unparalleled immediacy, Suki slid her foot out from under her, swinging it to a collision with the guard’s knees so he buckled and fell to the ground. She ran toward the hostage situation, appearing to move toward Lee to save him, which forced Kuvira into a defensive position but instead throwing her restrained wrists over Baatar Jr.’s neck. She pulled backward, making sure of his discomfort as the metal edges neared his throat.</p><p>            Kuvira pulled at Suki’s restraint, forcing both her and Baatar to the ground. She moved to force the metal away and above her second-in-command’s head, breaking Suki’s grip on the man, but Suki squeezed her elbows together and drew her hands inward with her full strength. The two fell into a game of tug-of-war with Baatar’s neck in the middle and a sword on the side. “Give up, governor,” Kuvira yelled as she threw Suki and Baatar like ragdolls onto Suki’s back, giving Baatar the opening to pull her arms off of him, “Make one more move, and I kill your companion. You can’t let your political ambitions inhibit your ability to protect this community.”</p><p>            She focused all her energy on keeping her arms right where they were around Baatar Jr.’s neck, resisting Kuvira’s pull, and fighting his wrestle. She looked up to the young Kyoshi Warriors laying on the roofs above her. Suki hated to believe Kuvira, but she started to question her own leadership. Had she committed herself so much to the community that she abandoned their safety in this fight? The warriors watched her from above, waiting for an opportunity to ambush the military leaders without giving Kuvira more reason to kill the foaming mouth guy. They weren’t done fighting yet, no matter how Kuvira construed the events of the past week to Suki.</p><p>            She relaxed her grip and pulled her arms up, letting Baatar Jr. escape her grasp and crawl back to Kuvira. With a grin, Kuvira looked down at Suki. She kept her blade above Lee, refusing to believe this a surrender before Suki put ink to the paper. Suki finally let herself make eye contact with Lee. She felt her eyes water as she watched him sit in fear. There was no right answer here. She waited for him to give her the signal on what to do.</p><p>            Baatar rose to his feet and brushed the sand off of his uniform with a scowl. He watched Suki with anticipating, unsure how she would act, but confident she would break soon. She would either surrender, or the death of Lee would tear her apart soon enough. Waiting for her decision, he didn’t hear the boots hit the sand behind him. The Kyoshi Warriors knew Suki’s decision, leaping from the roof and taking Baatar as their own hostage. As the women worked with silence, they managed to gag and tie him without his protest. The women dragged him away, and as he felt his dwindling sense of autonomy, he knew that Kuvira fully knew what happened. She had the earth bending skill to feel his vibrations as the distance gained between them. Still, Kuvira kept her eyes on Suki, who finally looked upward as she declared, “This isn’t over.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Negotiation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>6</strong>
</p><p>Suki ran behind a group of Kyoshi Warriors as they carried Lee to the village doctor. He was bleeding, but it appeared he received a shallow cut, giving him a chance of survival. It was never supposed to come down to this. Suki brought her community into the battle in order to protect them against Kuvira’s aggression. If the woman fought like this, Suki could only fear how she would lead. While today presented every case for her to surrender, it also made the argument that she had no choice but to keep fighting. Kuvira’s Earth Kingdom would only bring oppression and ruin to Kyoshi Island.</p><p>            Kuvira ran up the ramp into the airship. She needed to find the corporal. Mindful of Baatar’s discomfort with an immediate strategic bombing, she left him out of the decision and organized an attack with a leading tactical officer. The first wave of bombs was set to drop at sundown, in just a few hours. The current plan created too much of a risk without knowing where the Kyoshi Warriors held Baatar hostage. Though the strategic bombing campaign intended to cut off resources and destroy cultural centers, she and the other officer didn’t waste time preventing any collateral deaths.</p><p>            She bent the metal door aside as she entered the corporal’s office. Kuvira marched to his desk, planting her arms over his work and leaning in to stress the urgency of her command, “Send a search and rescue team out now. We’re not dropping anything until we find Baatar.”</p><p>            The man nodded, knowing better than to dispute an order from Kuvira. Her voice remained steady as she demanded the team, but anger seeped into her eyes. Few people would call her military career thus far a failure, within two years she managed to unite over three-quarters of a failing state under her leadership. She only needed two or so days to achieve dominance over most states. The standoff between her and Suki was a mere blip in her crown so far, and the corporal felt total confidence that the team would bring Baatar back within two hours. Still, Kuvira looked as if she lost a war as she postponed the evening’s bombs. “I’ll phone Bolin, Varrick, and Zhu Li. Give me the word when you want to resume the campaign.”</p><p>            Kuvira nodded and left the office. Returning to her quarters, she propped herself above her map of where each battalion stood on the island. As soon as she could guarantee Baatar’s safety, she would unleash her wrath on Kyoshi Island.</p><p> </p><p>            “It’s a good thing I just finished developing my Baatar Detector!” Varrick exclaimed as he led the trio onto the back path into the village. In an attempt to operate under secrecy, they walked from the other side of the island. Though this risked their safety, moving on Suki’s land instead of entering through the occupied zone bypassed the Kyoshi Warriors keeping watch.</p><p>            “That’s just a metal detector, sir,” Zhu Li remarked, not giving Varrick much attention beyond correcting his confidence, “It only works as a Baatar Detector if he’s still in his uniform and there’s no other metal around him.”</p><p>            He pouted, hurt but still determined to use his new invention on their mission. They walked a beaten path with few buildings lining the way. As they made their way closer to the village, Bolin struggled to understand why the Kyoshi Warriors took Baatar hostage in the first place. He understood Kuvira didn’t have much to offer the state since they were already doing well, but there was no reason for them to turn down the opportunity to help communities across the Earth Kingdom. It seemed so selfish to launch into a week-long battle just to hoard their resources.</p><p>            “What do you think they took him into that wooded area,” Bolin gestured toward the trees on their left, wondering if they should take the detour to explore. From his perspective, the Kyoshi Warriors knew how to use the environment against Kuvira’s army, and he figured they might try to coax the search team into an unknown area.</p><p>            With a laugh, Varrick shook his head, “They’re too smart for that, kid. My guess is they took him inside somewhere. They don’t want to be outside when an earth bender comes along.” He walked the edge of the trail, starting to push near the few buildings they passed to see if his Baatar Detector could pick up on anything through the walls. Ignoring Zhu Li’s scowl of disapproval, he tried to get a read on each building, fielding nothing, but hopefully ruling out places where Baatar could be.</p><p>            The sun lowered in the sky as they walked. While they first walked past individual homes, families who liked their distance from the rest of the community, the trio approached a denser area. There were no Kyoshi Warriors in sight, though that didn’t mean much. They maintained an advantage over many battalions with their stealth. Knowing they could be just a few breaths away from an ambush, each of them walked on the balls of their feet, careful to keep their weight from coming down to the ground and alerting people of their presence. The Baatar Detector let out a beep.</p><p>            Varrick’s eyes widened with excitement—his invention testified against Zhu Li’s pessimism and he stayed in Kuvira’s good graces. The man had never been more thankful for a machine to beep. He extended his arms out, moving the detector closer to a blue-walled building on the right. The beeping grew faster, confirming that Baatar must be on the opposite side of the walls. Bolin signaled for Zhu Li and Varrick to draw near to him. To not risk barging through the front door and creating a scene, Bolin pushed the ground beneath their feet downward, creating a tunnel for them to move through. Once under the building, he pushed upward, splitting the foundation and ripping into the building.</p><p>            “We found you! Now, give us back Baatar!” Bolin exclaimed before realizing no one else stood in the room to hear him. They brushed the dirt off of themselves before realizing the one-roomed hut served as a weapons depository. “Oh,” Bolin trailed, he walked to the wall lined with shields. He let his fingers graze over the copper weapons, just now discovering that the Kyoshi Warriors refit their weaponry overnight to prepare for the battle. They wielded such a strong determination not to join Kuvira. Maybe, he thought, the governor must hate the Earth Kingdom more so than a distaste for helping people. He didn’t understand why else the island would fight so hard to resist Kuvira.</p><p>            Zhu Li, on the other hand, pulled out a notepad as soon as Varrick directed her to “do the thing.” The woman jotted down the coordinates and her estimate of the room’s inventory. While Bolin swam in confusion, the other two recognized that Kuvira would want this information. The Kyoshi Warriors refused to use their metal weapons now in the face of metal benders. Still, if an artillery shell demolished their repository, they could disarm them at least in spirit. “I told you it was just a metal detector,” Zhu Li closed her notepad and slid it back into her pocket, “Sir, are we going to move on from here?”</p><p>            “Well, at least we now know that it’s a functional metal detector,” he tried to incorporate a forcefulness into his voice to hide his hurt at her defensiveness. Though helpful, Zhu Li was never supportive of his endeavors. Varrick raised his hand and waved the trio out of the building. He’d tell Kuvira about the repository without Bolin around, taking note not to disillusion the boy about their leader’s ethics. Sticking the metal detector out into the open air as they traveled, he hoped it could still serve its purpose.</p><p>            Dusk crept around them. Varrick looked to the skies, ever conscious of Kuvira’s initial plan to initiate a bombing tonight. He knew she called it off until they returned Baatar, but he stayed vigilant. Bolin yawned, aloof to Kuvira’s strategy. The kid let his idealism turn into rose-colored glasses. Varrick knew someone would try to exploit Bolin’s trust in his fellow man sometime sooner or later, but he seemed fine for now. If Kuvira changed her mind about the bombs, he would tell Zhu Li to grab Bolin out of proximity of any incoming shells.</p><p>            The beeping started again as they neared a house. Soft yellow light from a few candles seeped through the windows under the roof. Varrick beckoned Zhu Li to squat in front of him. Leaping onto her shoulders, he gained a new vantage point. He gave Bolin the nod, telling him to tunnel into the house. Only one of them needed to go in first to get a lay of the land. Kuvira authorized all three of them to say whatever they needed to get Baatar back. Bolin bore the insignia of a corporal on his arm, so the Kyoshi Warriors would be ignorant to his lacking authority.        </p><p>            “Good evening,” he let out with a smile as he tore through the ground and pulled himself into the room. Three warriors drew swords made of bone at him, pointing to his throat, as he gained his balance. “I’m not here to fight,” Bolin explained, honest, but misguided, he continued, “I just want to talk.”</p><p>            “We’re not giving the officer back to you.”</p><p>            “Fair point, you make a compelling argument,” he nodded along. Even though he disagreed with their motivations for sinking the island into an unwinnable battle, he understood their refusal to just give Baatar up. “Let’s negotiate. I want my commanding officer back, and you ladies would like…?”</p><p>            “Baatar can return to the airship when Kuvira takes back the treaty.” Bolin watched Varrick’s reactions through the window above their heads. The man looked disgruntled; he would’ve approached the situation differently. The kid possessed the penchant for agreeableness, which they probably needed for the moment, but it still annoyed Varrick.</p><p>            He kept nodding, unsure how else to react and convince the women he meant no harm, “Alright, this is a good start. I’m gonna say it, I’m not Kuvira, my name’s Bolin, so I can’t satisfy that specific request. But,” he let an optimism raise his voice, “She made me a diplomatic delegate today. How cool is that!” Varrick shook his head, and Bolin took his excitement down a notch, “What is it about the treaty that you want to be taken back? Baatar can’t stay here all night.”</p><p>            The Kyoshi Warriors looked between themselves, trying to follow the disconnect between Bolin’s attitude and the tyrant he claimed to represent. “All of it,” one of them took the lead, confident in Suki’s position while she remained in the medical house, “Kyoshi Island has been an autonomous state for years. We’re not going to become mercenaries and export half of our food. Kuvira is undermining all of Governor Suki’s authority and the very ideals at the foundation of the Kyoshi Warriors.”</p><p>            He tried to think like Korra before speaking again. Surely, she would approach this the same way as Avatar Kyoshi, and so if he could emulate her, he could get to the root of their wants too. Bolin flexed his hands outward, “So I’m thinking we try to achieve balance here, am I following you? I think you should help support the Earth Kingdom, and you all think you should protect your defenses and economy.” He furrowed his brows while he thought, “Let’s say this instead of the treaty, then: we make it all volunteer-based. I can get rid of the quota requirement Kuvira set for exports and warriors. If you have a food surplus one month and feel generous, donate it to the rest of the Kingdom! If a few of the Kyoshi Warriors want to help out and defend some of the struggling states, volunteer to join our army! How’s that sound?”</p><p>            Baatar’s eyes widened as Bolin trampled on the very goals written into Kuvira’s treaty. He watched as an idiot undermined his work. The Kyoshi Warriors exchanged inquisitive glances, confirming they just heard the corporal make the entire treaty optional. “And you are authorized to amend the treaty in this way?”</p><p>            Bolin smiled, proud to share his rank with the group, “I joined Kuvira when she first started in Ba Sing Se. I’ve worked my way up to corporal now! I like get to help with some of her strategies. Long answer short, though, yes. I have emergency diplomatic powers right now.” He seemed to kind to shortchange them, but also too kind to work for Kuvira. Neither of the women knew how to feel about his claims of leadership. Still, if they could get a voluntary treaty out of him, they could improve the situation as a whole. They listened as Bolin finished, “You untie Baatar and let him walk back to the airship with me, and I’ll immediately run to Kuvira’s office to write down the new terms with her, and she’ll present the new deal to your governor tonight. It’s as simple as that.”</p><p>            “Fine,” one of them spoke, making the executive decision to move forward with the negotiation. Bolin seemed genuine, and Suki still possessed the power to reject the treaty if she felt uneasy about it. It seemed like the best offer they would get for a long time. The other warriors walked to the corner to untie Baatar, pushing him away from the chair to retreat with Bolin.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>7</strong>
</p><p>“Zuko?” She swallowed her pride, “It’s Suki.”</p><p>            He let a smile of relief creep across his face. He knew not to reach out to her, she would reject any effort he made to help on his own, but he had been worried for her and the rest of Kyoshi Island. “Suki, it’s good to hear from you. Is Kuvira still on the shores? How is that situation?”</p><p>            “That’s why I’m calling,” Suki waved her hand to signal to the Kyoshi Warriors to leave her office. Kuvira never presented a revised treaty after the corporal suggested he could negotiate one. She was disappointed the women ever believed him, in all honesty, but that was a conversation for later. Looking at the papers sprawled across her desk, she started to update Zuko, “The troops occupy about 10% of the island right now. She took Lee hostage today.”</p><p>            “The foaming mouth guy?”</p><p>            “Yeah,” She felt a panging sense of guilt remembering how she risked his life earlier, “Our doctor said he’ll pull through, but she almost killed him when I refused to surrender.”</p><p>            “I talked to Izumi about what she knew about the army. I don’t think Kuvira’s ever taken hostages before. You must be showing her a harder fight than the other states have.”</p><p>            “Well,” it seemed like she would curse the community by saying the following words, but she knew she had to tell Zuko, “I think things are about to get worse. The Kyoshi Warriors took her second-in-command hostage after she took Lee, and she sent a corporal to undertake fake negotiations with them to get the guy back. I only spoke to her long enough for her to say the original treaty still stands ready for my surrender, but she acted differently this evening. Like she’s planning something devastating.”</p><p>            “Suki, what do you think is going to happen?”</p><p>            “I wanted to talk to you. Kuvira has complete control of our sky. She’s keeping her airships at the shore, right over the waters, but I know she’s waiting for the time to somehow use her air advantage over us. You know I hate asking you for help, but we don’t have airships, and it’s not like Aang can tame the Unagi again.”</p><p>            “Do you want me to send a fleet?”</p><p>            She felt disgusting holding the phone to her ear. This was her fight, and she was jeopardizing all of the distance she’d put between Kyoshi Island and the Fire Nation and the United Republic. Still, an ominous feeling about the skies seized her, “I want to make it clear I’m not asking Fire Lord Zuko for a fleet. I don’t want to build back diplomatic relations or whatever. We’re still not formal allies, and I don’t want to be indebted to your state.” She paused, trying to find clarity, “I’m asking you like an old friend. I’m worried about what Kuvira’s planning, Zuko.”</p><p>            “Do you want me to send an airship or my dragon?”</p><p>            “That wasn’t funny.”</p><p>            His jokes never seemed to land, “I’m sorry. I can send the royal family’s airship over and it should get to you by the morning. There aren’t any Fire Nation insignia on it, so it won’t look like an alliance or anything.”</p><p>            “Thank you, Zuko.”</p><p>            “Suki, I’m worried about you.”</p><p> </p><p>            “Baatar,” Kuvira’s face looked softer as she held his hand. Thankful to have him back, she felt a new sense of peace. She knew she could lead without him, she was more than capable, but she valued his insights and company. With him hostage, Kuvira felt loneliness she hadn’t known in years. It was good to have him back, safe, under her watch, “Tell me if they hurt you.”</p><p>            He rubbed the wrist right above her grasp, trying to ease some of the pain from a rope burn. In all honesty, he was surprised at how peaceful the entire thing went. They didn’t interrogate him or hurt him, they just tied him up and threw him in a nondescript house, “I’m fine.” He smiled, happy to be back with Kuvira, “I don’t think they had a real plan for what to do with me, nothing bad happened.”</p><p>            “Good,” She squeezed his hand before taking her grip back. Kuvira still had business to tackle for the night. For a moment, she considered telling him about the strategic bombing campaign. After all, he was her second-in-command, so he deserved a say in decisions. However, she knew he was still gaining his sea legs for some of the hard truths required for uniting a kingdom this large. It’d be easier for them to talk about it after the first shells dropped. “I think you should get some rest. I had Zhu Li make tea for you, and she left it in your quarters. Take tonight easy, Baatar. I’ll see you in the morning.”</p><p>            He smiled. It felt like a blessing to see a softer side of Kuvira. With a nod, he left the conversation, taking the opportunity to turn in early after the rather stressful day.</p><p>            With his departure, Kuvira made her way to the corporal in charge of the bombing campaign. On her walk to the office, she reeled Varrick in to join her. Now that he knew the lay of the land better, she wanted his insights for the first drop. Sitting the officers down, she started, “We have nine more hours until sunrise. This bombing needs to cause damage, not just send a message.”</p><p>            “We found their weapons repository,” Varrick seemed unbothered by her change in tone, “It’s full of all their metal fans, shields, and swords. They’re not using the weapons against us for the obvious reasons, but I get the sense there’s a lot of cultural meaning to them.”</p><p>            She nodded, “Let’s start with that. Within the hour, I want the repository demolished. Give them some time to panic and leave their homes, then target every rice silo, fruit market, and anyplace that stores food. They need to go hungry.”</p><p> </p><p>            “I have this under control. I’m just trying to prepare for the worst.”</p><p>            “No one’s managed to drive her away. It’s not a failure if you have to agree to remain in the Earth Kingdom with her as the interim leader.”</p><p>            As if that meant a lot from the man who once placed his identity in an unattainable goal of capturing the Avatar, “How long would you resist before surrendering the Fire Nation?”</p><p>            “Suki, that’s not what I’m saying.”</p><p>            “I’m pretty sure you just told me it’s okay if I surrender because the rest of the Earth Kingdom has.”</p><p>            “If it means survival.”</p><p>            “If you’re going to be like this, I don’t think I want your help.”</p><p>            “I take it back,” She always made diplomacy difficult, “I’m calling for the airship as soon as we hang up. Let me know if I can help in any other way.”</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>8</strong>
</p><p>Kuvira slipped into Baatar’s room, hoping to find a moment of peace with him. She wanted to watch the bombing campaign through its first night, but after almost losing him, she knew she needed to peel herself away from work. He looked comfortable resting on his side. He lay under just the sheet, so she flicked her wrist upward, starting the ceiling fan to cool him down. She felt for his heartbeat before moving closer to his bed. Confirming that he was still awake, Kuvira moved to sit on the corner of the mattress, looking down at him, but with something closer to love than condescension.</p><p>            “I thought I would come visit tonight,” she took off her gloves and leaned over to set them on the nightstand. “How are you doing?”</p><p>            He propped himself up on an elbow, trying to bridge the distance between them, “I’m honestly fine. I can’t say I would want to relive today, but it wasn’t bad.” Trying to reassure her that his kidnapping wasn’t the military blunder it could’ve been or trying to reassure himself that she cared about him as her boyfriend, not just her second-in-command, Baatar reached his hand out. Her skin was cold to the touch as if ice coursed under it. She felt like she never worked a day in her life. Her fingers grasped at his, “Why do you still have your uniform on? It’s so late.”</p><p>            “I was working before this,” This felt typical enough to her, “Varrick had some field notes from the unoccupied areas, and I wanted him to brief me before I called it a night. I’ll fill you in tomorrow morning.”</p><p>            “It’s the middle of the night. Kuvira, you need rest too. I think I have a large pajama shirt somewhere on your side, take your armor off.”</p><p>            “Baatar,” She didn’t know how to tell him that she would leave the room in a few hours to examine the damage. He stared at her like no argument could change his mind. She figured she could slip on the pajamas for now and just slide out a minute or two earlier before meeting the bomb squad later. “Fine,” she raised from the corner and guided the metal armor to the floor before switching her uniform for the pajama shirt.</p><p>            Respecting her boundaries, he flipped himself onto his back while she changed. Baatar watched the blades on the fan spin, cooling the room and leading him to pull the top cover-up as Kuvira inserted herself between the fitted sheet and it, next to him. As she got comfortable, he turned back to his side and reached for her hand again. For a moment, Baatar thought he heard the sounds of artillery dropping from the bottom of the airship. He shook the image, knowing they never made plans to start that tonight. Ever since Omashu tempted its fate, both he and Kuvira found themselves increasingly committed to work. On the few nights he could turn in early from the lab, she led strategy meetings. It was rare that they could enjoy each other’s company without the pretext of work.</p><p>            She squeezed his hand tighter, “I was worried about you today. I know you could’ve held your own if they tried something, but…” Her voice trailed. Neither of the two wanted to acknowledge how she avoided the fact that she let the Kyoshi Warriors take him. Kuvira had faith her army could retrieve him, and she needed to present to try to break Suki at that moment. Baatar didn’t know her logic. The less he thought about her choice, the easier it was for him to accept.</p><p>            “Let’s be present in this moment,” leaning in, he planted a gentle kiss on her nose before cuddling close to her. She let her hand run through his hair, realizing how long it had gotten over the past few weeks. She made a mental note to trim it later if they ever had a moment in the upcoming days. Baatar felt safe when she combed through his hair, holding his head, it made him feel safe, separated from the chaos surrounding them.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Arrival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>9</strong>
</p><p>Zuko descended from his airship, realizing just how much Suki tried to hide about the situation on Kyoshi Island. He placed his foot on the land with care, worried that one wrong step could set off any of the surrounding bombs. She never said anything about bombs. Making his way to her office, he tried to piece together the fight Suki refused to explain to him. About a hundred feet away, he saw a line of Kyoshi Warriors holding what ground they had, beyond them he thought he could make out combat between the warriors and Kuvira’s soldiers, and closer to him a handful of women rolled out a catapult.</p><p>            He knocked as he opened the door to the governor’s office. “I didn’t realize it was this bad, Suki,” his voice trailed. The anger painting her face mirrored the same disdain she had for him when they first met at the Boiling Rock, “How can I help? I brought a few of the court fire benders with me, I can send them to whoever’s leading the Kyoshi Warriors.”</p><p>            She flitted her eyes between Zuko and the map she’d been marking all morning. There was something so characteristic of Zuko arriving to help just hours after the damage was done, “I just need your ship to block Kuvira’s from dropping anything again tonight. While you were flying, she bombed our weapons repository and all of our silos. Did you happen to pack a lot of food on the airship?”</p><p>            “She’s bombing villages now?” He rushed closer to her desk, trying to figure out just how much he missed. This explained the craters outside, but it still managed to surprise him. Izumi never told him Kuvira had been this harsh against any other states within the Earth Kingdom.</p><p>            “I guess she takes after the Fire Nation,” she looked up to flash him a smirk, Zuko didn’t laugh, “Yeah, she dropped bombs throughout the night. We’re still scouting for damages, but it looks like she demolished our food and weapons. It was all of the metal weapons, so we weren’t using them, but those fans are hundreds of years old, and she just… destroyed them.” She still struggled to process the heritage Kuvira managed to erase within a matter of hours. The fans she used as a young woman were in that hut.</p><p>            “She destroyed all of your food supplies?”</p><p>            “There’s a group out checking on one last storage facility, but every nearby silo was hit with at least two artillery shells,” she turned the map so Zuko could get a better visual on the impacts, “I spoke to some of the merchants earlier, and their supplies are fine. But that leaves us with a week’s worth of food, and nothing after that.”</p><p>            He pointed to the other entry point to the village, the one fishermen and Baatar’s hostage negotiators took, “Can’t people still go to these docks for fish? I know it will be a restricted intake, but you can still make it work.”</p><p>            She shook her head, “I’m pretty confident a few of her soldiers found that entrance and used it to take their second-in-command back. I stationed two warriors there, and we’re only letting people fish with an armed escort.” She turned around to look at her counts on where each Kyoshi Warrior was stationed, how many could fight, and how many could protect civilians now that Kuvira waged total war. Things looked sparse. Turning back to Zuko, she put on a stronger face, trying to convince herself there was dignity in asking him for the resources she already rejected, “How many fire benders did you say came with you?”</p><p>            “I have a platoon,” he walked closer to her, keeping a respectful distance, but trying to rekindle the friendship they used to share, “I know you were hesitant to ask for fire benders, but I wanted to help however I could.”</p><p>            “Can three of them fill in for those warriors? I need as many women on the battlefield as possible.”</p><p>            He turned to her, confused as to why it felt like he was the one begging her, “Of course,” she drew three Fire Nation insignias on the fisherman path, studying where she could move the warriors to now, “Suki, all of them are ready to serve you and the Kyoshi Warriors.”</p><p>            “We’re fine with the rest staying in the ship,” she sketched his airship above the map. She didn’t know how well Zuko and his one ship could scare off another bombing attack, but him covering the sky at least provided some increased security. Suki tried to bear a strong face as Zuko continued to offer his help. She needed everything he could offer, but she refused to give him an upper hand, any debt. Still, as she looked at the losses from last night, she struggled to justify her commitment to weather this storm alone. Suki kept her focus on the map as she spoke, not letting Zuko watch her face, “Circling back to the food question… Do you have anything onboard that you could spare? I’m issuing ration cards today, and I want to have an idea on how much I can portion per person.”</p><p>            He nodded, trying to ease his pushiness, “I’ll bring down what we have, there’s a kitchen on board with a good amount.” Suki remained silent, but Zuko noticed the tension in her shoulders dissipate as he spoke. He also kept quiet, moving out of the building to keep his promise to her.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>10</strong>
</p><p>            Bolin opened the door for Suki and Zuko to enter Kuvira’s board room. This wasn’t the neutral space Suki agreed to, but she figured it best to save her fight for a different battle. She expected the worst from this conversation—she knew bringing in Zuko would look like she was expanding their terms of war. She took the chair opposite of Kuvira, letting Zuko sit across from Baatar. Suki crossed her arms, “I thought you said it would just be us four. If you have the corporal by the door, then I want one of the Kyoshi Warriors here too.”</p><p>            “Bolin was just on his way out,” Kuvira shot a glare in his direction, letting him know he overstayed his welcome as their doorman.</p><p>            He stammered as he reached for the doorknob, “I, uh, I just wanted to see the Fire Lord in person!” He opened the door and started to waddle out, “Sorry to upset the negotiations! I’ll go back to Varrick’s workspace!”</p><p>            Zuko’s sheepish grin revealed that he was the only one amused by Bolin’s inability to keep things professional. Suki seemed to take it as a threat, hardening her face and taking note of everything she could make into a weapon if things went further south, “You bombed our food reserves, and now you have the audacity to invite me to a meeting on your airship? Kuvira, this is deranged. You can’t tell me you’re doing any of this for the good of the Earth Kingdom and ask for our participation in your violent empire.”</p><p>            Kuvira maintained a calm demeanor, resting at the other end of the table as if nothing happened the previous night, as if she didn’t wage a war against a village. She folded her hands above the contract of surrender, “Surely, Suki, you would rather contribute a fraction of your agriculture every month than live like this, without food security. At this point, you’re the biggest aggressor to the rest of Kyoshi Island,” glancing at Zuko, she dropped her pitch, “That’s not why I wanted to speak today. You brought in Fire Nation warships and a member of their government this morning. I didn’t realize you wanted to make this more global.</p><p>            “I’m not here on behalf of the Fire Nation—”</p><p>            Suki held her hand up, stopping Zuko before he could dig a deeper hole, “He’s retired, and that’s a personal airship, not one of the Fire Nation, and certainly not one from their army. I didn’t realize a 90-year-old man threatened you that much, Kuvira. This is still between the two of us because I’m sure you don’t have any allies to bring in.”</p><p>            “Since when did the great governor of Kyoshi Island side with imperialists? I thought we had more in common than this, I’m trying to strengthen the Earth Kingdom to protect it from opportunists like Fire Lord Zuko, and I thought you once did that too with your island.” Baatar sat silent, smirking in his chair as Kuvira questioned Suki’s integrity and ideological commitments. He let this meeting distract himself from the bombs Kuvira called last night without his knowledge. It was easier to trust her judgment when he watched Suki bring in Zuko and counter everything she claimed she stood for.</p><p>            “I’ve made it clear I don’t want to be part of your Earth Kingdom, no matter how strong it is.”</p><p>            “So much so that you would rather let your people starve?” Kuvira pushed her chair back, standing up and walking so that she towered over the older woman, she placed her hand on the edge of the table, blocking Suki from leaning forward so that she had to look up at Kuvira, “You’re too weak to stand for your ideals, but you’re obstinate enough to let the people suffer for them. In any other circumstance, I would see Fire Lord Zuko coming in as an act of aggression, it would make me consider being less calculated with the next round of bombs and letting the drop wherever they please, instead of away from residential areas. But I’m embarrassed for you. This act of desperation reveals that you don’t care about independence for Kyoshi Island, you just hate the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            Suki rose from her chair, refusing to let Kuvira intimidate her into surrender, “I don’t let people high on power bully how I govern. Don’t pretend to have the high ground here when I know you are desperate for the Kyoshi Warriors to become your mercenaries. If your army was as strong as you say it is, you would’ve let us leave the Earth Kingdom days ago. This is about more than just national unity for you, and don’t think that we’re oblivious to inability to actually lead.”</p><p>            It took all of her willpower not to sling a sheet of metal over Suki’s mouth as the woman tried to push back. Silencing her or pushing back the floor beneath her would only satisfy Suki’s desire to see Kuvira struggle, though, so she remained still. “So be it,” she answered, “Believe whatever you want to believe. I’m told you issued ration cards earlier, and there’s not enough for everyone to eat enough. I’m offering the people a chance at a better life, and I’ll look out for their best interests, unlike you. I’m offering the people of this island the chance to receive sufficient rations and security if they denounce you to pledge their allegiance to me and the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            Kuvira looked to Baatar, signaling that it was time for them to leave and make the announcement before Suki could attempt any damage control. The two left the room, replaced by soldiers to escort Suki and Zuko out of the airship.</p><p> </p><p>            “You didn’t tell me you were going to bomb the village, Kuvira,” Baatar reached for her elbow, stopping her as she marched down the hallway after announcing the opportunity for residents to desert and join them. He knew Kuvira was frustrated with this entire situation, she worked through the nights and seemed to hate herself for letting such a small island cause such a large fight. Still, he didn’t know how to support her when she refused to communicate everything with him.</p><p>            She turned to Baatar, placing her hand over his and guiding it away from her, “Well, you came up with the idea initially,” She hoped to remind him that he wasn’t guiltless in this, “I needed to act fast, she’s bringing in other airships which restricts our control of the airspace, and now the people know she’s failing as a leader without enough food to ration them. Are you uncomfortable with this war?”</p><p>            “Not uncomfortable, no,” He stammered, hurt by her reluctance to let him close and embarrassed by her doubts of his ability to lead beside her, “We’re just endangering a lot of innocent people to unite an island we don’t need to the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “You’re starting to sound like your mother, Baatar, I didn’t know that you were so willing to let your reservations with violence limit your commitment to reuniting the entire Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “I wasn’t trying to sound like her. Kuvira, I’m fully committed to working with you and achieving our vision, I just—”</p><p>            “You just what? Wish that this was easier, and we could be kinder? Baatar, you need to accept some of the harsh realities of leading, or else I’ll have to reevaluate your involvement in these high-level decisions.”</p><p>            “I just wanted to be informed before you called for the bombs. I came up with the idea, I think they helped us, I’m on board with all of your decisions. I just want to work by your side, we can make these hard decisions together. Let me be there for you.”</p><p>            She smiled, glad to hear him restate his loyalty to her. She liked to watch him struggle to earn her happiness, it served as a reminder for both of them that she was in control, and he was there to support her. “That’s good to hear. Once we get the names of the first round of people who pledge their loyalty to us, I’ll let you draft the first map of tonight’s bombing.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Battle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>11</strong>
</p><p>She stood on the porch of the Kyoshi Warrior’s training studio as she watched families gather outside. Some stamped their ration cards, picking up their box of supplies for the week, while others walked to neighbors to discuss what they planned. Kuvira promised that everyone who defected by sundown would have more than plentiful food. She created scarcity just to provide. Zuko stood behind Suki, hovering over her shoulder, trying to convince her to say something to the population. He said she needed a rallying cry, something to inspire them, to give them confidence that they could whether this war and make it out on the other side without ever considering Kuvira’s temptation of defection.</p><p>            Suki kept quiet. She watched the Kyoshi Warriors explain how the rations were divided and what Suki projected future portions would look like. Other warriors entered conversations with grace, explaining that this was a momentary challenge that would pass, and it would be worth it to maintain their autonomy. The promise of sufficient food left out the conditions of serving the woman who razed their village. They convinced some people. Others clutched their stomachs and ushered their kids to the wall of metal bending soldiers. Suki couldn’t tell people how to make decisions for their families as she fought to ensure the community retained independence to make its own decisions.</p><p>            Turning to face Zuko, she rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a smile. For the strife that he brought throughout her life, she recognized that he tried to do good. He was always a little misguided along every step of life she knew him. Looking at him, Suki recognized that if anything happened to her, if anything went wrong, he would try to take charge. She watched him try to guess what ran through her head. She didn’t want him to make any decisions for the island, even if they came from a well-intentioned heart. She took her hand back, “I need to speak to Miyuki. You stay here.”</p><p>            Suki made her way to the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, asking her to step away from filling supply boxes, she led Miyuki away from the crowds. She crossed her arms as she spoke as if she was defensive of her plans, “You fought with Kuvira on the first day she was here, right?”</p><p>            “Yes, ma’am,” Miyuki maintained the boldness she used with other warriors when addressing Suki, “She hasn’t fought on the ground since that day, though. I get the sense that she’s in the airship most of the time having to reassess strategy and battle formations.”</p><p>            “Walk me through what you picked up on. What are her weaknesses?”</p><p>            Miyuki wanted to grin, this was the Suki her mother told her stories about as a young girl, the one who helped take down an entire fleet in the Hundred Years’ War and saved the Avatar’s sky bison, the woman who inspired her to become a warrior. She didn’t grin, though. Just because the elderly woman maintained her youthful bravery did not mean she could fight as she once did. Still, she answered the question: “She dodges more than any earth bender I’ve fought. I thought she seemed to move in circular motions, dodging on the downbeat and then swinging upwards to strike. She doesn’t metal bend as Toph did, her movements don’t dig and rip, she’s more about putting her metal on someone and controlling them through it.”</p><p>            She nodded, “How’s she on defense?”</p><p>            “Governor, are you planning on engaging her?”</p><p>            “What would you do if you were me?”</p><p>            The warrior held a solemn face, unable to understand the stress Suki bore, but finding the empathy to stand with her, “She’s always moving. If she’s not on the attack, she jogs around so you can’t aim at where she is in the moment. I couldn’t hit her when she was on defense, but if you try to attack right before she does, you’ll find some openings in how she holds herself.”</p><p>            Suki nodded, taking notes of everything Miyuki gave her before walking the leader back to her position in the supply line. If anything went wrong, she felt confident Miyuki could lead the island through this. Zuko would still try to do more good than he could, but Suki didn’t let that worry her anymore. She knew what she was walking into.</p><p>           </p><p>            Baatar sat, leaning over a map of Kyoshi Island. He didn’t know at what point in the past two years he became okay with strategic bombing and civilian causalities, but he circled buildings with his pencils, he realized there must have been a change sometime. Kuvira stood looking out the window of their workroom, and he looked at her with relief. He was becoming someone he was uncomfortable with, but she still let him stand near her, she still looked at him with confidence and pushed him to strengthen for the goal of uniting the Earth Kingdom.</p><p>            She turned from the window. The colors of the sunset dulled into dusk, and she needed to receive the defectors. By the time she returned to the airship, she’d give Baatar a list of who remained on the island, and they’d discuss if they wanted to aim bombs close to their homes. She gave him a smile as she left the room and made her way down to the beach. Kuvira walked alone. Metal benders held the ground gained in battle, stationing themselves beyond the beach and just barely into the town now. As she walked from the sand to their station, she realized how much time and energy they spent warring against this state for just a fraction of gain. If she had any doubts about this new, aggressive strategy, they left her with each step.</p><p>            Kuvira walked through the line of soldiers, making her way to the crowd of families who stood ready to defect from Governor Suki, “I’m glad to see that you all realize the benefits of joining me and helping the Earth Kingdom. I promise you won’t regret pledging your loyalty to me,” she smirked, watching a few more people filter into the swarm of people, “Upon giving me your loyalty, you’ll be given the privileges awarded to all Earth Kingdom citizens, and I will make sure to protect you from chaos like that which has overcome your home. I’ll provide gainful employment for the young and able, and security for all.” She knew she could eventually break Suki’s will, and the woman would sign the original terms of surrender. Today, Kuvira gained what looked like 50 young adults to serve in her army, and as the war waned, she’d receive the surrendering Kyoshi Warriors to fight alongside them as well. Though a hard-fought battle, she knew she would only strengthen her military from this.</p><p>            “Stand down,” Suki walked through the crowd, making her way to the strip of land Kuvira alone occupied as she spoke, “You took everything from these people just to make them dependent on you.”</p><p>            “Well, excuse me, Governor,” she stood wide, sliding her feet into what could quickly become a fighting stance if the 90-year-old acted in accordance to her tone, “It seems fitting that you would hypocritically stand in the way of these citizens and their autonomy to choose between which leader they want to live under.”</p><p>            “Don’t act like you’re the benevolent one here.” She watched Kuvira sink into a squat as she picked up on Suki’s intentions. She kept her arms close to her chest, keeping the chakra points on her sides open. Suki knew Kuvira never made the first move, so she’d have to initiate the fight herself. The woman in front of her also seemed to know more than what she let on Suki knew Kuvira anticipated her to try to strike her side. Instead of giving Kuvira what she wanted to block, Suki threw herself down, kicking her leg out and swooping it to knock Kuvira off her stance.</p><p>            Suki’s age worked against her. The slightest hesitation in her movements, the quiet cracking of her joints was enough to alert Kuvira and give her the chance to spin the ground on which Suki stood. “I didn’t know you still fought, Governor. It’s been some time since you stood up to a Fire Lord.” Kuvira threw up a rock wall to block herself as Suki stood up and charged at her.</p><p>            Letting Kuvira taunt her, Suki hoped to exploit her divided attention. The woman pivoted so that her back came within millimeters of the rock wall, building the momentum to turn along its edge and come face-to-face with the dictator. She seemed surprised. Kuvira moved up from her squat, ready to jog backward before throwing a metal cuff to Suki. With their toes near touching, Suki used their proximity and Kuvira’s cyclic motions to her advantage. She jabbed, striking chakra points along her torso before Kuvira could put distance between them. As Suki slid against the wall, moving opposite to Kuvira now, she noticed the younger woman looked fainter. She threw her arms down, ready to unleash the metal cuffs from her armor to sling against Suki. They stayed on her arms, though.</p><p>            “I still have a little in me,” Suki charged forward, ready to attack Kuvira while she reassessed how to fight without her bending. She fell. Hitting the ground, Suki pushed herself up from her back, sitting up as she realized Kuvira dodged her. Like the dancer she used to be, Kuvira moved from one space to another with grace before her opponent could realize the tempo changed.</p><p>            “Get up, Governor,” Kuvira stood, waiting for the woman to rise back to her feet and regain her balance, “We can make this our final battle if you’re ready to give me the island when you lose.”</p><p>            Suki pushed her weight off the ground, moving faster now, “I’ve watched you and your soldiers disregard commitments a few too many times to believe what you say.” She pushed forward, hoping to immobilize Kuvira before she could strike again.</p><p>            Kuvira followed the attack, lunging forward this time and hoping to slow Suki’s momentum. Throwing her elbow forward, Suki managed to catch her arm, pulling Kuvira closer to her by the bicep and throwing the woman off her balance this time. She started to jab again, hitting chakra points and feeling Kuvira go limp as she kept moving. The dictator fell, each attempt to stay standing and strike back like a grasp at the air. Suki stood up straighter once she confirmed that Kuvira lay on the ground, defeated. She didn’t know what came next, if the woman would retreat now that she lost a fight, or if Suki’s audible distrust disqualified her from an immediate surrender. Still, Suki turned to address the crowd watching in anticipation. She moved forward to talk to them like equals.</p><p>            As she opened her mouth, she heard a growl come from someone else. Before she could turn and match the sound to someone, she felt her feet lift from the ground. A giant metal hand, something larger than herself, held her by the shirt collar and hoisted her above the crowd. Baatar donned his mecha-suit, enraged from the fight and determined to step into his role as second-in-command, declared that the war continued, and the disloyal would face punishment for Suki’s attempt to hurt the leader of the Earth Kingdom.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Braid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>12</strong>
</p><p>            “They all saw a 90-year-old woman immobilize me.”</p><p>            “Kuvira,” Baatar sat at the foot of the bed while Kuvira insisted on working at the desk. She needed to rest, but today’s incident only fueled her ambition to conquer the island, “I promise it wasn’t as bad as why you’re letting yourself believe it was.”</p><p>            She set the pencil down with force and turned around in the chair to face the man, “Walk me through how it’s better than what I think. People witnessed that and only a fraction actually defected compared to the number that planned to. Suki just gave everyone more spirit to keep fighting.”</p><p>            “Well, first off, Suki’s in our prison again, so let’s not act like this was a defeat.”</p><p>            “You’re just proud that you beat her.”</p><p>            He grinned, leaning back on his hands to stretch his chest with that pride, “Did you think the engineer you recruited from Zaofu could ever do that?”</p><p>            “One could argue the mecha-suit actually did it. How much can you lift now? I’m sure it’s still less than whatever the woman weighs.”</p><p>            He rolled his eyes at how she wouldn’t let anyone find a silver lining if she lost. Baatar could counter with the fact that he still made the mecha-suit, but he knew that would only sour her mood more. It wasn’t worth the morsel of credit. “They’re energized to keep fighting, but that also means they’re going to go into the next battle with an unwarranted arrogance. Suki surprised you, but she didn’t overpower you,” he explained, hoping that he helped the situation, “Tomorrow morning you’ll go in front of our soldiers and walk them through how to use the Kyoshi Warriors’ misguided arrogance against them, and the tables will turn right back toward us. This isn’t the end of the world.”</p><p>            She stayed sitting, frowning, giving no indication as to whether or not she believed him. Her hair still sat, half out of a braid, half still trying to hold together a hairstyle thrown out of place. Growing up, Baatar watched his mother braid Kuvira’s hair again after dance rehearsals and combat lessons, taking a delicate hand to her hair so that she looked put-together no matter what happened before. From his perspective, the gesture always seemed to calm Kuvira down. He pushed himself up from the bed and walked across the room. He leaned against the desk, sliding behind her and taking the hair tie out.</p><p>            “I can tie my hair back up just fine, Baatar,” she sighed, still tired from losing her bending. She needed to rest, but she refused to be out of commission any longer.</p><p>            He shook his head. Her hair was down now. He gathered it into three strands and started to weave them over each other, “You’re not going to listen to me if I tell you to call it a night and sleep off today’s fight, so just let me get your hair out of your face before you go back to work.”</p><p>            She wanted to whip it into a bun and move on. Still, Kuvira remembered her and Baatar were dating. She had to let him support her beyond their military ranks sometimes, and if that meant letting him braid her hair for a minute, she could sit for it. He moved with a delicacy she didn’t feel since they embarked on the journey to reunite the Earth Kingdom—it felt peaceful. She closed her eyes, “Thank you, by the way,” the words hurt to say, but she recognized their importance, “You’ve always been a fast thinker, and it really saved us today. Thanks, Baatar.”</p><p>            He smiled, ready to play it off, but someone knocked at the door, interrupting one of the few romantic moments he and Kuvira had. As soon as he said, “Come in,” the silence of the room left. Bolin walked in, ruining whatever moment Kuvira let Baatar believe they shared.</p><p>            “Oh,” Bolin stepped back and gripped the doorway, “Am I interrupting something?”</p><p>            “Don’t worry about that,” Kuvira spoke with a new calmness. The angered self-consciousness she showed Baatar earlier hid under her usual confidence as she addressed Bolin, “What brings you here?”</p><p>            He walked closer, “I filled the ration boxes for everyone who pledged loyalty to you. I know people might be getting hungry since it's past dinnertime, so I wanted to see when you wanted me to start distributing the supplies.” He spoke with an eagerness that made both Kuvira and Baatar wonder if Bolin realized why the people on the island needed ration boxes in the first place. Kuvira was fine if he didn’t put two and two together as long as he maintained this energy for her efforts. Still, she couldn’t believe this man could be so oblivious.</p><p>            “You’re right, Bolin, it is past when people are used to eating.” Baatar tied off her braid, and she stood up to walk closer to Bolin, placing her arm on his shoulder, “Thanks for assembling all of that. Why don’t you grab Zhu Li and start taking those to our new citizens? You have the addresses list, right?”</p><p>            He nodded, and almost jumping out of her room with excitement to help the people on the ground. Once Bolin closed the door and left earshot, Kuvira turned back to Baatar, “I feel like he doesn’t notice half the things that happen right next to him every day. It’s like he’s the human embodiment of blissful ignorance.”</p><p>            Baatar stifled a laugh at that, agreeing, “So long as he’s devoted, I’ll let him believe whatever he does to keep him happy. It’ll be good to have his energy and loyalty if Korra ever decides to come back.”</p><p>            She didn’t want to keep talking about Bolin. Kuvira instead lifted the map off her desk and placed her list of coordinates over it before handing it to Baatar, “You know we need to be merciless now, right?”</p><p>            He knew that wasn’t a question. Still, he nodded to confirm that he didn’t oppose her, “I drew up a map of all their heritage sites and where they’re storing food and supplies. Once the bomb squad gets your approval, they’re set to drop.”</p><p>            “That’s not good enough after today,” She looked mad—not at him, though, maybe mad at herself, “I had the chance to win this battle today, to fold Kyoshi Warriors into my army. We can’t let them sleep tonight thinking they walked away with an advantage. Give the new map and coordinates to the bomb squad. We need something more ruthless to pick up what we lost.”</p><p>            He scanned what he now held; there were houses X’ed out. He didn’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of where warriors lived and where civilians lived, but he recognized the governor’s house among the targets, “What good is it to destroy her house when she’s locked up here?”</p><p>            “We need to take out Zuko before he can bring in more supplies.”</p><p>            “Kuvira, are there civilian homes on this list?”</p><p>            “We just had this conversation last night, Baatar,” she closed the distance between them, pushing him back against the desk as she walked toward him, “If you want to make hard decisions together, then maybe you should be comfortable with doing what it takes to win.”</p><p>            “I am,” he held his hands up, almost as a surrender, to create a buffer between them, “I just don’t know what we get from killing people who aren’t active participants in the fight.”</p><p>            “They had an opportunity to side with us, and they refused. After this evening, no one on the island is on the sidelines.”</p><p>            He nodded, right, that made sense, “Agreed. I’ll walk this over to the corporeal in charge of tonight’s drop. It’s a thorough plan, so he should be ready to initiate it as soon as Bolin and Zhu Li are back on board.”           </p><p>            “Good,” she backed down, retreating to sit on the foot of the bed. Now that one thing went her way, the exhaustion that piled up throughout the day hit her. She needed rest. She needed to regroup to fight harder tomorrow.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>13</strong>
</p><p>The bomb broke through the wooden beams that once kept the roof intact. It was a miracle that the giant metal shell missed the man asleep for the first round of attack. He didn’t dwell on his blessings, though. The rest of the house was catching fire, forcing Zuko awake and out of bed. Taming the flames, he managed to calm what threatened Suki’s house, before attempting to make sense of what must be happening outside. He pushed the fire down, guiding it to just an ember before running out the front door. Though Zuko had just arrived on Kyoshi Island, he knew exactly what Kuvira did tonight.</p><p>            All of the Kyoshi Warriors were fine. The bombing woke some up, and it seemed like the leader was running to rally the rest. But Kuvira didn’t target them. It was as if she still thought she would win this war and take the warriors as her mercenaries. She instead bombed the civilians who refused to pledge their loyalty to her. Kuvira was ruthless, and none of the other world leaders seemed to care. Zuko realized that he needed to stop her terror tonight.</p><p>            He’d set this village aflame before. Taking a deep breath, Zuko spread his arms and began to draw them in circles above his head. He took control of the fires, affording the Kyoshi Warriors safety to run into the houses and check for injuries. He raised the ring of fire above the village, keeping everyone on the ground as safe as he could for the moment. Looking through the glow provided by the fire, he tried to distinguish his enemy. The bombs stopped for the moment being, giving him the chance to take the offense. He could make out the line of Earth soldiers holding their gained ground just at the start of the village. It was them or Kuvira’s airship. <br/>            Suki sat in a jail cell somewhere within that ship. He didn’t know the blueprints, nor was he confident he could throw a fireball with such precision even if he did know. He could take better aim at the soldiers on the ground. If he scorched them and their camp, then the Kyoshi Warriors stood a chance at reclaiming that ground and prolonging the fight. It was the rational choice. It didn’t risk anything. As Zuko circled the flames into a compact fireball, he tried to keep his head level. This wasn’t his fight. He was here to support Suki. Still, he remembered how she told him early on that Kuvira reminded him of his sister. Azula knew how to predict people, to force them into situations where they thought they made the rational choice, but just played into her larger plan. He sunk into a fighting stance, taking aim at his target in this war.</p><p> </p><p>            “Zhu Li, do the thing!” Varrick yelled over his shoulder, scrambling to exit the barracks before anyone could beat him to the door. In the middle of the night, Zhu Li lacked the tools to become assemble an extinguisher at the pace Varrick demanded.</p><p>            Working with just the cup of water she kept at the side of her mattress, she ran after him once she tried to douse the flames, “Sir, the room is on fire, I can’t just put that out.”</p><p>            “What good of an assistant are you, then? You’re just going to let me die here,” The two ran down the hallway, unsure where to go as they realized the entire end of the airship was catching fire. Away, they needed to get away.</p><p>            Their pursuit of safety blinded them from observing the rest of their surroundings—those that weren’t burning. Varrick let out a yelp as he crashed into Kuvira when he tried to turn a corner. She and the highest-ranking metal benders seemed to appear out of nowhere, blocking Varrick from escaping danger.</p><p>            Kuvira, wasting no time in her crisis management, took hold of Varrick and Zhu Li by the metal on their outfits, throwing them to the side of the hallway, so she and the other benders could move forward. Rounding the corner, she realized just how much damage the Fire Lord did. She cursed herself for not anticipating him to reverse the attack. A bead of sweat wet her forehead, grounding her in the reality of the situation. A whole wing of the airship was burning. She’d seen other soldiers run from the sleeping quarters, most of them must’ve escaped. Whoever was left couldn’t carry their own weight at this point.</p><p>            “Alright, we’re going to detach the hall and the rooms in it from the rest of the ship first. Once the entire thing’s off, we’ll push it further into the village before dropping it. Questions?” Shaking heads answered her. Kuvira took her position in the middle of the squadron, pulling the sheets of metal flooring, beams, and casing away from each other before the fire could spread further into the airship. The burning section contained their food supplies. Looking at the storage room door as she worked, she knew there was no use to salvage any of it. She didn’t feed her soldiers bits of char and embers. Still, she’d need to reassess how much longer they could fight on Kyoshi Island and provide for the new citizens without the reserves.</p><p>            “Thirty meters,” She commanded, pushing the flaming metal away from the airship. If Zuko was going to create a deathtrap out of her airship, she’d make sure to return the gift. After all, it was only polite. Angling the strip of the airship to maximize civilian damage upon impact, Kuvira nodded, “Drop in three…two…one.”</p><p> </p><p>            “What do you gain from holding out this long?” Baatar Beifong Junior stood with his back resting against the wall opposite to the bars separating him from Suki. Looking down at her, he struggled to piece together where she found the strength to continue resistance. Older than his grandmother, he knew she must be tired. What political convictions could be so important now?</p><p>            She kept her head down, unwilling to watch the man take confidence in this situation. “Do you remember when I would visit your parents? You were just a boy back when Sokka and I traveled to Zaofu.”</p><p>            “I’m not here for small talk.”</p><p>            “The second-in-command doesn’t guard the prisoner, especially not during the night shift. Are you just here to make yourself feel big?” She crossed her legs, trying to make herself a bit more comfortable as she waited for Baatar to give a reason for showing.</p><p>            “I do remember when you two would visit. I thought Sokka was the greatest inventor in the whole world,” He was too young to remember much. Sokka and his father would tinker with new inventions in the lab, and Baatar Jr. would crouch on a barstool to watch, too young to really participate. He had a memory of Suki sitting for dinner with his family once or twice, but that was it. She gave a face to a name his grandmother would mention when he begged for stories from the Hundred Years’ War. “I don’t see why that’s important right now, though.”</p><p>            She smiled, having once thought something similar. Things were less complicated back then. “You know this isn’t my first cell. And you’re hardly the worst visitor I’ve had.”       </p><p>            “Haven’t you been the governor for decades? What could get you in jail here?”</p><p>            “Fire Nation prison.” He should’ve known that, and now that she clarified, Baatar felt stupid for asking in the first place. Suki looked up to take note of his new discomfort in the conversation, “You and Kuvira aren’t the first people to think that you have to share your ideas with the rest of the world. I guess I’m old enough to start seeing stuff I already lived through come back.”</p><p>            He tensed at her accusations, grabbing the cell bars and raising his voice with the intention to intimidate her, “This is different. We’re reuniting the Earth Kingdom and making sure it provides for its people this time around. If anything, you’re the bad guy here for refusing to contribute.</p><p>            “Give it a rest,” She swung her arms behind her head and leaned back to recline, wishing he would get frustrated and leave soon.</p><p>            “You and the rest of Avatar Aang’s group are just selfish. Don’t lecture me about morality when they stole Earth Kingdom land to make the United Republic and you sit back and let them and outlaws ruin communities across the nation.”</p><p>            “Didn’t you just tell me you admired Sokka?”</p><p>            “I’ve grown up a lot since then.”</p><p>            “I’ve learned that when people try to push what they think is a good idea on others, it normally hurts more than it helps. We’ve both said it about the United Republic,” she watched him cross his arms and retreat back to the wall, “And I’m saying it about whatever imperialist mission this is. You’ll regret doing all this just to impress Kuvira later on.”</p><p>            He raised an eyebrow, unsure where she was going again, “I’m doing this for the good of the Earth Kingdom. Kuvira and I have a shared goal. What are you trying to say?”</p><p>            “You don’t look at her like she’s just your commander.”</p><p>            “Shut up,” He looked for a weapon from the last guard, but soon realized the must’ve relied on the metal on their uniform. He couldn’t bend anything to hurt her with, so Baatar would instead take note to cut her meal sizes starting in the morning, “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, and you’re just trying to belittle the work the two of us have done and will continue to do to help the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “Governor Suki,” Kuvira walked in, unfazed by her boyfriend’s tantrum, “I know you can’t see the situation on the ground, so I thought I would do you the courtesy of reporting that things changed since your imprisonment.” She pulled Suki by the metal restraints, forcing her to sit up, “The village has sustained more damages. We have soldiers counting the dead and wounded right now, but it looks grim for the Kyoshi Island rebels if you want my estimate.”</p><p>            “You’re bluffing.”</p><p>            “Believe me, I don’t bluff. I can escort you to a viewing deck if you want to see the damage from above. I’m sure you’ll want to reconsider my offer if you see the damage. You may hate how I treat my enemies, but I assure you that you can end this and get on my good side whenever you’re ready.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Signature</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>14</strong>
</p><p>Kuvira escorted Suki to a window overlooking the damage to the island. Baatar f0llowed but kept his distance. He wanted to give Kuvira the space to belittle Suki however she saw fit. Yes, it may be more intimidating for both of them to surround the governor, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at the devastation on Kyoshi Island. At this point, he didn’t know if he felt uneasy about the civilian bombing or if talking to Suki forced him into a more sympathetic position. Whatever his feelings meant, he knew he would look sick as soon as he looked out the window, and he couldn’t show such a weakness. He was stronger walking behind Kuvira.</p><p>            “We’ll send scouts down at sunrise to assess the damage,” Kuvira started, keeping a grip on Suki’s metal restraints so she had to stand near, “But I’m sure you can tell that you lack the resources to continue a war with the Earth Kingdom. This will only continue.”</p><p>            Suki remained silent. She tried to piece together a narrative of what happened leading up to the scene below her. Rows of houses she grew up in were now demolished. The warriors had nowhere to practice, all Kyoshi statues stood in flames, and there was no way to house a village under the remaining roofs. For a second, this didn’t feel real. The world outside the window had to be from a nightmare, she must be imagining such horrors. Her wrists yanked to the left with Kuvira forcing her to look toward the commander. This wasn’t a nightmare. The grip felt too real.</p><p>            “I said this will continue, Governor. Certainly, you have something to say about that.”</p><p>            She tilted her eyes up to Kuvira, taking in the woman’s anger before she spoke. She wanted control above all else. Suki saw the end nearing—she knew she couldn’t justify this war for much longer. Until then, she could subvert Kuvira’s need to domineer every conversation. Burying her smirk, Suki asked, “What happened to the other hallway on your airship? I’m sure you were intentional when walking me along a different path tonight.”</p><p>            Kuvira grimaced at her question. There was no way for her to know the details of the attack, but Suki’s alarming understanding of her behavior unsettled the commander. Shooting a look to Baatar, she tried to gauge how much he must’ve told Suki when trying to intimidate her in the cell. Somedays she questioned why she brought him in so close to her. He was too soft, still a child of Suyin. Once they reincorporated Kyoshi Island into the Earth Kingdom she needed to focus more of her efforts on showing him the good that could come from her mission. She needed him to embrace her aggression, no longer just tolerate it. Looking back to Suki, she scowled, “I wouldn’t expect an old woman to memorize the floorplan of such a complicated airship. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>            She knew she was hiding something. But she didn’t press it. “I want to talk to Zuko,” she declared, hoping to ask him for a better read of what the ground looked like. She didn’t want his advice. At this point, she wanted to know how much they had left, and she wanted his comfort.</p><p>            “I’m not letting you go back home until you surrender. You’re a prisoner of the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “Then let me call him,” Suki hated the desperation in her voice. She sounded so weak when in reality she just knew now might be her time. Never one to give up, she could barely stand to entertain such a thought, but she also couldn’t put everyone else’s lives at risk for the sake of her pride. “You can keep a guard in the room with me as we speak, I don’t care. Just let me talk to Zuko.”</p><p>           </p><p>            Kuvira undid the shackle, letting Suki separate her hands, before locking her left wrist to the metal tabletop. Suki picked up the phone with her free hand and dialed the number to her office phone. Her house was part of the damage, but it looked like the governor’s office still stood. She watched Kuvira as the phone rang, praying that Zuko was at the desk right now, as Kuvira bore a smug look, convinced that she was just minutes away from surrender.</p><p>            “Fire Lord Zuko. Who’s calling?” She wanted to weep as his voice broke the last ring.</p><p>            “It’s Suki,” her voice trailed as she searched for what to say, “I… What happened tonight?” In her peripheral vision, she watched Kuvira raise a skeptical eyebrow, leading Suki to brace herself for whatever Zuko said next.</p><p>            “We still don’t have the full picture of it all, but Miyuki is leading a few other warriors to see what’s still standing. They bombed a lot of the village and pathways to the water. There are a few people in a critical condition, but no one’s dead and all of the Kyoshi Warriors are fine.”</p><p>            Kuvira wanted to keep her coerced soldiers well. No matter what came next, the attacks would be on civilians so Kuvira could make the most of the Kyoshi Warriors forced into her military service. “Zuko,” she tried to mask the worry in her voice, “Are you alright?”</p><p>            “I’m fine. I’m rattled from the attack, but I’m fine. I, uh, I threw a firebomb back at the airship. I think I caught a solid third of the ship on fire.”      </p><p>            She smiled, not saying anything to let Kuvira know that she understood what happened to that hallway. Suki was right to ask Zuko to come to Kyoshi Island. She hated needing him, but he could be helpful sometimes. Her happiness didn’t sit too long, “Tell me what you know about the food situation.”</p><p>            “I’ve already called Izumi, and she’s sending another airship of supplies to airlift in,” And just like that, he reminded Suki why she was so hesitant to ask for his help in the first place, “There’s no way for anyone to go fishing anymore, and we don’t have the specifics yet, but I don’t think we have enough to ration next week. She said she can have a supply ship here by the morning.”</p><p>            “At what cost, Zuko?” She asked, biting anger with words. She felt more aware of the metal pressing down on her other wrist. The world was closing in on her, and all she could do was sit and talk on the phone. Suki felt powerless. “It’s Fire Nation food, right? Not royal family?”</p><p>            “Suki, I didn’t ask what budget she used, I just made sure that everyone could eat soon.” He knew she wanted to keep Kyoshi Island independent, but he didn’t know how to abide by her wishes while still helping. A Kyoshi Warrior ran into the room, handing him a copy of the notes taken while observing the damage. He didn’t have the bandwidth to read the numbers and specifics now, but with just a glance he knew he made a right decision in calling Izumi. “Let us just give you this much. I’m not asking for anything in return. The island needs the food, Suki, trust me.”</p><p>            Looking up, she watched Kuvira draw nearer. The younger woman sat down in the chair across from Suki, picking up on her waning hope. Suki turned her head to the wall to keep the commander out of her vision, “What do we have left on the island?”</p><p>            He paused to read the notes more to better answer her. He couldn’t do the math necessary to plan precise rations, but Zuko could get a decent grasp on the situation, “Everyone can get a slice of bread, and I think we have fruit for each family every day. The fruit will go bad in a few days, and I think the bread at that rate can only last until the end of next week.” Then they ran into the problem of how to get food after that. More people would defect to Kuvira, which would increase portions for the remaining people, but at a certain point, that just gave into Kuvira’s war of attrition. “Please, Suki, let me give you the food.”</p><p>            A tear escaped her as she considered it. She wanted to accept. She realized Kyoshi Island couldn’t keep its independence anymore. Within the next few minutes, it would fall subject to Kuvira’s Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation. She knew Zuko and Izumi would call her an ally, but they would never see her nor the rest of the population as equals. And this war would continue. She would have to continue accepting their help, exacerbating her dept to the Fire Nation with no known end. “You know what I have to do, don’t you?”</p><p>            He took a sharp breath, gripping the phone until his knuckles went white, as if that could change their situation, “We can make it better.”</p><p>            “Zuko,” she shook her head, hating what had become of the situation. Kuvira would find a way to stop the airlifts once they came. She would find the endurance to erase Kyoshi Island from the world while still enlisting the warriors into her army. There was only one way to end this. And Suki hated the ending. “Go find Miyuki and see how you can help her out. Don’t make any decisions, and just be there when I get back on the ground, alright?”</p><p>            “You want to go home?” Kuvira leaned back in her chair and flung another metal cuff to arrest Suki’s other wrist as soon as she set the phone down. Even with only half the conversation, she had a good idea of where Suki’s head was now.</p><p>            “I want to go over the contract with you.”</p><p>            She pulled the original sheet from a pocket in her uniform, unfolding and sliding it so that Suki could read it. There wasn’t much room to negotiate, but Kuvira had been patient with Suki for so long, that she could entertain one last discussion.</p><p>            “You bombed all access to our ports,” she looked up from the paper, knowing that Kuvira wouldn’t short herself on the spoils of war. Suki hated to bring this up, but she knew Kuvira already knew it. This contract wouldn’t stand much longer.</p><p>            “You’re attentive,” She was well aware that she had defeated now two of the surviving members of the last Team Avatar. Even with their age, so many people held them in such high regard that this victory could only justify her forming empire, “I was thinking that you could contribute more Kyoshi Warriors to the Earth Kingdom army, and we could move on from there.”</p><p>            “Tell me what you’re planning on doing with the Kyoshi Warriors.”</p><p>            She almost made a quip that Suki was in no place to negotiate. However, she couldn’t escape the burning embarrassment from when Suki beat her in combat. Kuvira let out a sigh, “I have plenty of non-benders in the ranks. If any show particular promise in engineering, then I’ll arrange for them to work with Varrick and Baatar on new technologies. Any with a mind for strategy can obviously work with the non-combat officers. Other than that, most will join as privates and participate in occupying rebellious areas and creating unity throughout the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “I won’t sign for that. The Kyoshi Warriors are devoted to serving others and protecting harmony in the world.”</p><p>            Kuvira shook her head, “If you don’t sign for it, then we’ll just continue this little war. I’m sure the old Fire Lord will try to help your side, right?”</p><p>            Inhaling, Suki tried to calm herself down before speaking. “You said your army is helping the states in more need throughout the Earth Kingdom.”</p><p>            “Yes,” she slowed her voice, anticipating what Suki wanted, “I promise stability, political and economic. Many states are plagued with bandits, so I have troops that secure the states and deliver food to them. You briefly met Bolin; he helps facilitate most of those efforts.”</p><p>            “Change the contract to guarantee the Kyoshi Warriors only participate in humanitarian efforts. We need to rebuild our community, so I need to keep as many of the women hear possible. You can have 55% of the force to make up for the lost crops.”</p><p>            “You’re so opposed to showing any generosity to the rest of the nation.”</p><p>            “Like you’re one to speak about generosity.”</p><p>            “I’ll take 70%, and I’ll test the incoming soldiers to see who would fit well in our technology and strategy ranks.”</p><p>            “60%,” Suki closed her eyes to distance herself from the conversation, “And everyone is assigned humanitarian missions unless they request to participate in technology or strategy.”</p><p>            Kuvira smiled. Having gotten what she wanted, she pulled the restraints off Suki and made the corresponding edits to the contract. Giving her the revisions and a pen, Kuvira watched as she won the war against Kyoshi Island.</p>
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